Farewell Swords  For Now
by MrsMoshae
Summary: 423 spoilers: Ichigo wasn't the only one who could see ghosts, after. Even though he could no longer see Rukia standing in front of him, his three friends could


**Bleach belongs to Tite kubo, and Shounen Jump**

_Got the idea after I reread 423 for like... the 100th time and for some reason,it only then occurred to me that it was just Rukia disappearing from Ichigo's sights... there were three people behind Ichigo that could still see her. After all... she _was_ still there XD_

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**W A R N I N G**

Bleach Chapter **423 **spoilers ahead

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The air was grim and icy with winters chill. Ichigo was half tempted to zip up his black hoody, but that would entail looking away from his closest friend, and not watching as she disappeared from his view for the final time. It was hard. Rukia had made so many things possible for him. She stabbed his chest and turned his whole world around. The small Shinigami had given him the power to shatter fate.

Now she was fading away from him. Forever.

It was never easy to lose a friend. When they left because they had to move or you got into a fight, you could still see them and know they were okay. He would never see his annoying, short, mentor again. It made it all the worse.

" ... Tell everyone, I give my best." Ichigo said with a sad smile.

"Yes." Rukia replied.

From the look in her violet eyes he knew this was hard for her two. I could see him, if she had the chance to come down from her tasks with helping Soul Society - which was still on the mend- but he would never see her. She was just a spirit now, and she would lose the connection she had formed with Ichigo and his friends.

Yes, a spirit was all she was. A soul without a body. A body... Her eyes widened with revelation, but Ichigo hadn't see her expression change, she had already dissolved from his sight.

"Bye, Rukia." Ichigo sighed, before looking up into the sky as if he thought he would see her up there. "Thank you."

"AH!" Ichigo turned around in the direction of a familiar gasp. He had almost forgotten Inoue and the others where there. He looked at Orihime with a raised brow, and was about to ask her what was wrong when she cut him off.

"Kuchiki-san, that's not very nice."

"Kuchi- what?" Ichigo turned around again, half expecting to see Rukia up to childish antics. He only saw the 'empty' street. "Damnit, I forgot I can't see her! What's she doing?"

"You're so hopeless, Kurosaki." Ishida jabbed with a smile, as he pushed his glasses up in his trademark fashion.

"Quiet, nobody's talking to you!" Ichigo retorted with a glare. "And you, I know your here. Don't you have better things to do?"

Ichigo swatted his arms around if front of him, waiting to strike gold and clip Rukia, or even shoo her way like a big bug. His three friends didn't have the heart to tell him she wasn't there. Rukia had moved to stand over by Orihime. The auburn haired healer looked back and forth between the petite Shinigami and her savior.

"She's not there, Ichigo." Chad supplied. Ichigo nearly fell over in shock and aggravation.

How was he supposed to live a normal life now? Yes, he couldn't see spirits but he knew they were still around, Hell, all of his friends could see them now even. He was the odd man out. On top of it all, he had Shinigami hanging around that apparently had nothing better to do on their schedule than mess with his head.

"Why didn't you tell me that sooner?" Ichigo said through clenched teeth.

"Probably because it is funny to watch you swing at thin air." Rukia answered. Only after the words left her mouth did Rukia realize how stupid she looked talking to a person who couldn't see or hear her.

"Kuchiki-san..." Orihime whined, feeling bad for Ichigo, and kind of missing the emotional, touching scene from before.

"Inoue, where is she?" Ichigo asked, staring right at the healer with a comedic look of upset.

"Don't tell him, Inoue." Rukia countered.

Orihime went straight as a bored, not knowing what to do. She was torn between friends and she couldn't even look at one of them, it would be a dead giveaway.

"I don't care what she says Inoue, tell me where she is so I can pay her back for messing with me." Ichigo said knowing full well what Rukia had ... _probably_ said ... He just hoped he guessed right and did not sound like an idiot. More than he already looked one.

"You shouldn't bring Inoue-san into your problems, Kurosaki." Ishida said receiving another glare from the flustered Orange-head.

Rukia sighed and crossed her arms. "Can someone tell him I will see him in a few weeks? I have reports to fill and I'll return then to let him try and 'pay me back'."

"But Kuchiki-san, Kurosaki-kun can't see you anymore."

Rukia smiled at her good friend. "And yet you all were able to see me though you had no spiritual powers when I arrived."

"A gigai." Chad mumbled, his deep voice making Ichigo flinch.

"Gigai?" Ichigo echoed his body hunched over.

"That's a smart idea Kuchiki-san." Ishida supplied looking straight at Ichigo with a devilish grin. "We all know this place won't be the same without you."

"Hell no!" Ichigo cursed, pointing in the direction Chad and Orihime had looked, hoping beyond hope that he wasn't pointing at thin air like he felt like he was. "My Shinigami days are over, no more spirits, no more hollows, no more you!"

"Kurosaki-kun..." Orihime mumbled, twirling her fingers in embarrassment for correcting her crush. "She left already..."

"Damnit!" Ichigo cured again ruffling his already messy orange hair. "How many times am I going to have to say goodbye to her before my life will go back to normal?"

"Kurosaki-kun..." Orihime sighed but her hands up in a calming motional, as all the while a bead of sweat fell down her brow.

Ichigo dropped his arm, and kept his head bowed. This is it isn't it? What being a normal 16 year old was like? Normal, at least, by the standards of an ex-Shinigami Substitute who had already died -what was it?- three times, and defeated countless enemies with the help of an inner demon and a mystical sword. His furrowed brows relaxed and a small smile tugged on his lips. He was normal, but he still had his friends. The bond he had made with them , Shinigami, Vizaard, and human alike, could never be broken. Not even from a thousand Mugetsu's.

Maybe it wasn't such a farewell after all.

...

_I hope you enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed writing it._

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**R&R**

**: : : MrsMoshae : : :**


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